U.S. Navy's USS America completes survivability test

April 4 (UPI) -- U.S. Navy amphibious assault ship USS America recently completed the service's mandated Total Ship Survivability Test.

The Total Ship Survivability Test, or TSST, is a trial required for all new classes of Navy warships. America-class amphibious assault ships were designed to accommodate modern warfighting aircraft such as the U.S. Marine Corps' F-35B Joint Strike Fighter and the MV-22 Osprey.

During the event, held between March 30 and April 2, Navy personnel examined the ship's combat prowess by simulating a conventional weapon hit. Testers measured the ship's ability to control and recover from damage, and continue the mission.

"For the past four days we've been at general quarters where we fought simulated fires in multiple spaces, in addition to restoring power during various electrical failures and combatting the ship's fire main pressure being down," Electrician's Mate 1st Class William Isom explained.

Other program participants described the event as a successful training mission.

"The realistic implementations -- multiple jammed fittings, debris blocking passage ways, and firefighting systems offline -- did not make it easy to 'fight the ship,' but we collectively planned around those obstacles and successfully completed all tasks at hand," Lt. j.g. Daniel Espinoza added.

Amphibious assault ships are designed to act as small aircraft carriers for more modern combat aircraft. USS America is the first vessel of the America-class. A second vessel, PCU Tripoli, is currently under construction.